1. Technical Field
This invention relates to hardware for computer housing. More specifically, the invention relates to a dual hinge door for allowing opening of the door from either side.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is common for computer housing and other electronic enclosures to have doors and access panels for enclosing hardware components therein. Prior art doors utilize hinges and latches along one side or both sides of the door or panel. Examples of prior art apparatus include U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,916 to Lee et al. which teaches a computer housing with a door on a face of the housing. Each side of the door includes a handle. When the handle is rotated to open the door, a plurality of springs, and pins are actuated to cause the side of the door adjacent to the handle to release, and to cause the opposite side of the door to secure. Another prior art example is U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,473 to Navarro which teaches a hinge and latch mechanism for opening a door. A handle is centrally mounted on a front face of the door and may be rotated in an opposite direction selected for opening a specific side of the door. An arcuate segment on an interior side of the door panel is mounted to the handle. Upon rotation of the door handle, a notch in the arcuate segment engages a pin and a plunger for actuating a central link adjacent to one side of the door and vertical links secured thereto. However, the prior art neither provides a switch, or an equivalent apparatus independent of the handle, for selecting a side of the door for opening, nor a handle that only becomes visible to the operator upon actuation of a switch.
It is therefore desirable to provide an access panel that will allow an operator to select a specific side of the panel for opening, or to select to open both sides and remove the panel from the housing.
This invention comprises a dual hinge door for a computer housing. The door enables the operator to select either side of the door for opening based upon the needs of the operator.
A first aspect of the invention is a computer housing with a dual hinge door and a switch to select a side of the door to open. In addition to the switch, the door has a handle adjacent to each side of the door, and a safety lock on each side of the door to prevent accidental release. The safety lock has a lock pin that is adapted to be vertically deployed to prevent accidental release of the door. The switch is connected to a horizontal bar. Movement of the switch in either direction actuates a bell crank assembly on each side of the door and moves the handle on the selected side to a visible position. The bell crank assemblies convert horizontal motion from the horizontal bar to vertical motion of the Jock pins. The bell crank assembly on the side of the door selected for opening retracts a set of lock pins, and the bell crank assembly on the side of the door selected for remaining stationary engages a set of lock pins in the associated latches. Rotation of the switch releases the handle adjacent to a side of the door selected for opening. A pull of the handle causes the safety lock to engage the lock pin on an opposite side of the door selected to remain stationary, and opens a side of the door adjacent to the released handle. Alternatively, a pin in the switch may be released and a prong within the switch may be rotated to release a handle adjacent to each side of the door. Pulling of both handles adjacent to both sides of the door releases the door from the housing.
Other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.